The state chronicle., 1887-11-10
DIE EfOCElZEIT.
The Chronicles Correspondents Takes
Part In a German " eddinE.


Young people are very much alike all
over the world. and so il has entered into
the heads and hearts OF two good looking
young persons in the little town of La IAN
10 be married.
Let me describe the occasion briefly. as
it was so different from affairs of the same
kind at home that | think your readers
will, perhaps, be interested in my pen and
ink picture.
From high pole floats the German flag.
Beneath is a large and handsome garden.
Here is a fountain; there bed of bright
geraniums. \ weather stained bit of stat
uary is visible here ana there among the
lilac bushes. At one side of the garden a
long table is set, and near by IS Il smaller
one The ladies are drinking their after
noon tea.
Let Us approach Nearly all are stran-
gers to us, many of them being the brides
maids The painful process of being in
troduced is over. We still survive, though
We are somewhat da1ed. Did you know
that there were so many pretty girls IN
Germany? | candidiy confess that did
not Here is ruddy-faced, healthy,
hearty looking girl from Chemnitz. j tri-
fle heayy2 Wen, perhaps. But here is
the brides sister dressed III pure white,
With pink and blue ribbons on her >houl-
ders She is light and graceful, animated
and pretty. If had been tie groom, i
would have made d different choice Yet
the bride seems to be a fine, stately girl
as she pOurs the tea into the blue Dress len
cups.
But the German girls are shy. Perhaps
il is beca,-e our German is bad and they
know it. Orperhaps they prefer their own
countrymen TO foreigners. At any rate,
they sit whispering together, and were it
not for the little English lady on our n ht,
We would have little to SAY. ~ il i, We
discuss the weather in the good, Old fash
lOned way, and try to appear conterted.
Night is coming on, however, and the
! little English lady asks whether or not vs.
| like a 'POllt rabeud." We Of course say
YES; but We feel doubtful. Then She goes
on to describe what IS meant By the Pol
terabend' or Noise Evening. | will not
weary the reader with descriptions, but
| tell something of what saw:
The garden is dark and deserted. The
! clouds have been gathering and now even
/ the starlight Is shat out. Within the house
the electric lights shining on the mirrors
and the glass pendants Of the chandeliers,
creates a brilliant effect. As We stand 1t
the parlor door. let me describe the room:
Seated on every available seat are Ia
des-young medium, Old and ancient;
ladies short, medium, tall and high;
thin, slender. thick and stout; ugly and
pretty, and of kinds enough 10 suit every
+ one however fa>tidiCus his taste.
Blue dresses, white dresses, red purple
dress $ in fact, a very flower garden OF
dresses, But here come the bride and
groom i sofa covered with blue vel
vet has been Kept for them. They take
their seats. The bride is very pretty
ii her pure white dress. The groom is tall
| and manly. He has lived 50 long in Eng
land that he has ceased to be German
subject and, at the same time, mas lost
something of the German air.
Let Us work our way 10 those yscant seats
by the piano. The Po.terabeud has com
menced The mother Of the bride stands
in the door and gives a signal. She Is tall
and stately, and her purple-yeiNet dress,
with its long trai4 adds very much to the
coloriug Of the room.
Here come the first two actors OF the
evening. Lisel, the younger sister of the
bride, represents the practical spirit, while
tall. awkward girl, dressed IN white and
spangled with golden stars, represents the
sentimental These two argue together
and give advice To the young pair. Al
length they join hands, and While the sen
timental girl pelts them with roses, the
practical I-sel presents to her sister cof
Zee pot.
Laughter and applause greet the conclu
sion of this little act. Next COMES one OF
the bridesmaids playing the part Of {
flower girl After making her little speech
She crowns the bride with roses and pre-
sentS to favored few the bouquets witt
which her basket is filled. Alas, She passes
Us by and presents the last rose TO the i'm
pertinent young student behind yondel
pair of gold spectacles.
Now, amidst much laughter, another
bridesmaid, disguised as the cook, bow
before her majesty the bride, and recitin2
an humorous poem, emptIeS in her lap ;
dozen wooden spoons, forks, potato mash
ers and other homely but useful utensils
hush falls over the entire assembly
1t is evident that one of the ceremonies o
the evening is about to TO take place. IWo
girls enter, one the sister and the othe
the most intimate friend of the bride. Be
tween them they bear the bridal veil. Will
tears in her eyes and voice, the little sis
ter says her words of farewell. The bosom
friend does the same. The bride wipes he
| eyes with her soft lace handkerchief HI
groom rubs his nose with his red one Tn
family do the weeping act, and the veil i
laid on table-for the marriage VIII no
occur until to morrow.
But, listen. The villagers have come t.
serenade the bride, for the family is lo0ket
up 10 by all the surrounding country.
The music is, however, drowned in th
chatter and laughter of the merry CON
pany. No one pays any attention to it, o
wastes more than Il passing thought on tn
humble visitors outside, who, following u
ancient German custom, are breakin
glass and crockery on the doorstep.
| might 90 on telling how the brides SIX
year-old sister attempts to present he
with little account book for keeping
record of the household expenses, and h0H
the poor little girl breaks down and erie,
hut / will leave this and the rest of th
, performance to the imagination Of tn
5 reader.
One humorous incident l must, how
ever, relate. 4 young man, a friend {
the groom, stands in the center Of tn
room with Il basket in his hand. Takin
out a gallon bottle. he says: This is tn
extent to which the groom's mouth watere
: when he first saw his BRIDE Then, lif
Z ing large brick from his basket, he cor
$ tinued: land this is the weight which fe
, from his heart when she said yes
| But why have the gentlemen been stea
I ing from the room at intervals, all tn
2 time? See, the bride brother is beckO1
o ing TO US. Let us go. Ah-h-h. Bohemia
+ beer is the attraction. We are not 5
2 thirsty, however, that we cannot wait f6
t the ladies. Let us pass back through tn
s refreshment room. Ahh-h. again. VIII;
t do we see?-the gentlemen have deserte